Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-02-03
A HOUSE JACK BUILT.
A Man Who Was His Own
BOss-Builder.
DIFFICULTIES BEsET HIM.
Some Troublesome Experiences
Met in Erecting a Modest DWELL
ing Out Of Town.

On one of the coolest evenings that
this winter has 50 far produced, my
neighbor, Jack Taylor, and l happened
to step out of the same car together, SO
together we walked up the street. Every
body in our town knows Jack, and no.
body hesitates to call him by his first
name, for in our town everybody knows
everybody else very well-sometimes
too well. But in the city where he does
his business, he IS Mr.. John Taylor.
l was Surprised to see that he was
carrying package. This is no novelty
in our town; indeed man seldom comes
home from the city without one. But
Jack Taylor is an exception he has
always been opposed on prineiple to car
rying packages, and makes it rule to
send his things out by the parcel ex'
press. But this time he was not only
carrying a package, but heavy one;
and on that cold evening, with nothing
on his hands but the kid gloves that he
invariably wears, summer or winter, 1t
made his fingers tinge. Several times
bsfore ws reached his house "a new
house that hs had just finished on one
of our best corners), he had to set it
down ON the sidewalk and stop to blow
on his hands. This drew my attention
more particularly to the package; aud
the more l locke d at it, the more won.
dered what it was IL looked like some
aort OF patent bomb, or hand grenade.
So at last asked HIM.
"Uh," he replied, ''that's a sand
trap"
"a what?" asked.
"a sand trap-to go to the end of
that confounded pump OF mine. you
know. The thing throws more sand
than water, and th,s machine is to catch
the sand. 1t ought tn hold it if 1t ever
catches it. tor think it weighs about
four TONS"
confessed my ignorance Of any kind
of traps but mouse traps and the hgure
4 RABBIT traps We used to make IN the
country.
"Then you're in luck" Jack slid.
"But YOU have never built house?"
No; l confessed never had. There
were tnhing financial difficulties Ia the
way, or perhaps might have.
WHAT A NEIGHBoR SAID.
"You will learn great many things
when you do" Jack replied, "that you
never dreamed of before. II you want
experience, something to occupy your
mind, TO deprive you of sleep, and ruin
your bank account, build house. l
nave not known q moments peace since
] began mine.
"Indeed," ! said, show is that?"
But we had reached Jacks gate-or
rather the place where the gate ought to
be, for the fence was not built yet.
''Come in and smoke cigar with me
after dinner" he replied, "and l will
tell you all about it. 1t is too cold to
stand here and talk. And if my painful
experience will deter even one person
from failing into the abyss of misery that
l have tumbled into shall consider the
evening well spent.
promised to drop in. and did. The
rooms felt warm after the cold air out.
side, but Jack and his wife were sitting
with their feet over the register in the
dining room.
"Why don't you open up the
.draHghts!" asked when they apologized
for the temperature. For being a house.
keeper of many years standing felt at
liberty to offer advice to young couple.
"Draughts!" Jack growled; "theres
no more draught to that furnace than
there is to-to-well. say to an exten.
ten table. There's something the mat
Ger with the chimney. Tompkins, the
mason, promised TO come and fix it three
weeks ago, but we haven't seen him
yet"
s'Then why not start up fire in the
grate." asked. ''There's nothing so
comfortable as nice open fire. :"
Jack and his wife both laughed. "We
can at least freezs in pure air as We are, D
Jack said; 'but il we should undertake
to start fire in the CRATE we'd freeze in
a smokehouse. That is one of the fash.
ionable CRATES they make now in New
York TO sell to poor dupes like myself
who don't know CRATE from chicken
coop. 1t is very handsome to look al,
with its brass audirous and patent
blower, but you might as we'll build a
ire in o frying-pan. 1t is made for
beauty, not for use, that CRATE. There
is no size to it, no draught, no anything
but lot of fancy brasswork.
TO PLEASE Ills WIFE.
'If you are going to tell your expert.
ence at house. building" his wife inter.
rupted, you had better begin, for you
have had so much of it it will take a
good while to tell"
''Mollie had been at me for long
time TO buy or build a house." Jack be-
gan. "We were tired of May movings
and buying new carpets every year or
two. thoughtit it would be good plan,
too; it would be so pleasant not to see a
landlords smiling face about the first of
every month. Well, at last we deter.
mined to build, for then we could have
the house Just as we wanted it. And it
must be frame house, because we could
not afford brick or stone. This was win
ter before last. l had my eye on this
lot, and before spring bought it.
"We set the limit at $4,000 for the
building / bought work an architec'
ture, full of beautiful pink chromos,
that showed lots of pretty places to be
built for from $500 to $500. So l felt
safe in figuring at $4,000, for the house
was not to be very large. I wanted it
built by days work. which knew
would add little to the cost; but was
down on contract work. No warped
doors and leaky roofs for me. l would
get good carpenter to make me out
list of materials and buy them myself. :"
"Did you have any experience at
building?' asked him.
Mot at that time,"" he replied. "But
L have now. Lots. Early in April l
went over to Dobson, the carpenter, and
told him 1 wanted him to build me o
house.
.To-tay:" he asked, as innocent as
possible.
81 had heard great deal about the